Control apparatus and control method

ABSTRACT

A control apparatus includes a receiving unit that receives a captured image obtained by capturing an image in an optical finder of an image capture device in a state in which AF frames are displayed on the optical finder, a display unit that displays the captured image and a UI (user interface) for selecting at least one AF frame from AF frames displayed on the captured image, and a transmitting unit that transmits, to the image capture device, information for specifying the at least one AF frame selected via the UI.

BACKGROUND Field of the Invention

Aspects of the disclosure generally relate to an apparatus, method, andprogram for controlling an image capture device.

Description of the Related Art

In recent years, there have been remote imaging systems in which imagecapture devices such as cameras capture images using a wireless or wiredcommunication means through remote operations. A representative examplethereof is a remote imaging system for providing higher value-addedimages by capturing the images from areas where usually, no person isallowed to enter, such as high areas at the sports venues, for example.Also, images can be captured as a result of installing an image capturedevice mounted on a pan head by which panning, tilting, and rolling canbe driven at the venue in advance, and remotely operating the pan headand the image capture device from another area in the venue or theoutside of the venue during a competition. Such a remote imaging systemincludes a control apparatus that can be remotely operated on a network.At this time, a user can not only operate the image capture deviceconnected thereto to capture images but also perform, using the controlapparatus, setting operations for controlling the function of the imagecapture device.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-196229 discloses a camera system inwhich a display device that is separated from a camera main body isprovided with an area setting means for setting the position of a focusarea, and the position of the focus area can be set through remoteoperations.

In the above-described remote imaging system, an imaging operation isperformed while monitoring streaming images transmitted from the imagecapture device, using a remote control apparatus. This streaming imagesare images acquired by an image sensor of the image capture device. Theoperation state of the image capture device is referred to as “live viewshooting” hereinafter.

On the other hand, the operation state of the image capture devicehaving an optical finder when images are captured using the opticalfinder is referred to as “optical finder shooting” hereinafter. Manyimage capture devices having optical finders can select either live viewshooting or optical finder shooting.

Usually, the AF operation during live view shooting and the AF operationduring optical finder shooting differ in the sensors used for AFcontrol, and the AF operation during the optical finder shooting issuperior thereto in terms of the AF speed or the like. Thus, whencapturing images of athletes with large motions as subjects, many userswant to capture images thereof through optical finder shooting.

For demand for realizing optical finder shooting also during remoteshooting, it is possible to construct a remote imaging system in which,the inside of an optical finder of an image capture device is capturedby an auxiliary camera, and streaming images transmitted from theauxiliary camera is monitored by a control apparatus.

In this remote imaging system, the settings of the AF operation methodand the positions and types of AF frames of the image capture device arechanged by remotely operating the control apparatus from a remote area.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the embodiments, one or more AF frame of animage capture device can be controlled remotely w % bile viewing animage in an optical finder of the image capture device.

According to an aspect of the embodiments, there is provided a controlapparatus including a receiving unit that receives a captured imageobtained by capturing an image in an optical finder of an image capturedevice in a state in which AF frames are displayed on the opticalfinder; a display unit that displays the captured image and a UI (userinterface) for selecting at least one AF frame from AF frames displayedon the captured image; and a transmitting unit that transmits, to theimage capture device, information for specifying the at least one AFframe selected via the UI.

According to an aspect of the embodiments, there is provided a methodincluding receiving a captured image obtained by capturing an image inan optical finder of an image capture device in a state in which AFframes are displayed on the optical finder; displaying the capturedimage and a UI (user interface) for selecting at least one AF frame fromAF frames displayed on the captured image; and transmitting, to theimage capture device, information for specifying the at least one AFframe selected via the UI.

Further aspects of the embodiments will become apparent from thefollowing embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of an overall system configurationaccording to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control apparatus according to the firstembodiment.

FIG. 3A is a block diagram of an image capture device according to thefirst embodiment. FIG. 3B is a block diagram of a pan head in the firstembodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the external appearance of a rear portion ofthe image capture device according to the first embodiment.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams showing examples of a screen displayed on adisplay unit of the control apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams showing examples of screens displayed onthe display unit of the control apparatus according to the firstembodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an AF frame setting process performed by thecontrol apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on adisplay unit of a control apparatus according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of an AF frame setting process performed by thecontrol apparatus according to the second embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the disclosure will bedescribed below with reference to the drawings. However, aspects of thedisclosure are not limited to the following embodiments. Note that, inthe drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the same orsimilar configurations, and redundant description thereof is omitted.

First Embodiment

A first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to6. Note that, to facilitate understanding of the description, theoverall configuration and operation purposes of a device to which aprocessing method is applied, the content of a control process, variousdevices to be controlled, the results of processes, the results ofcontrols, or the like will be specifically described below, and thepresent invention is no limited thereto. Thus, it is also possible toprovide a system in a form in which the configuration, operationpurposes of these devices, the content of the control process,parameters used in the control process, various devices to becontrolled, or the like can be suitably configured in accordance withthe purposes of the overall device, a UI (user interface) that can beset can be provided, or these can be dynamically determined usingprocessing algorithm, programs, or the like.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of an overall system configurationaccording to this first embodiment.

This system includes an image capture device 103 that has an opticalfinder and captures still images or moving images, an auxiliary camera104 that captures images in the optical finder of the image capturedevice 103, and a pan head 105 that holds the image capture device 103and the auxiliary camera 104, and that controls a direction in which theimage capture device 103 captures images (pan and tilt operations) anddrives the zoom lens of the image capture device 103. Therefore, theauxiliary camera 104 captures images of a subject present in the sameline of sight as that of the image capture device 103. Note that, if theimage capture device 103 displays (may not in some cases) selectablefocus frames on the optical finder in a superimposing manner, theauxiliary camera 104 captures an image of a subject on which the focusframes are superimposed. Also, although it is presumed that the pan head105 in this embodiment controls the pan, tilt, and zoom, the imagecapture device 103 may control the zoom out of the pan, tilt, and zoom.

Also, this system includes a control apparatus 102 that communicateswith the image capture device 103, the auxiliary camera 104, and the panhead 105, receives and displays images from the image capture device 103and the auxiliary camera 104, and performs various settings andoperations of the image capture device 103 and the pan head 105. Also,this system has a network 101 for mutual communication therebetween.This network 101 may be wired or wireless.

Note that, although an example is illustrated in FIG. 1 in which threesets in which one set includes the image capture device 103, theauxiliary camera 104, and the pan head 105, and two control apparatuses102 are connected to the network 101, there is no particular limitationthereto.

FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram of the control apparatus 102 inan embodiment. The control apparatus 102 includes a VRAM 202, a BMU 203,an input device 204, a CPU 205, a ROM 206, a RAM 207, an externalstorage device 208, a communication unit 209, and a bus 210 thatconnects them. The bus 210 includes an address bus, a data bus, and acontrol bus. A display device such as an LCD is used for the displayunit 201. Images to be displayed on the display unit 201 are rendered inthe VRAM 202. Image data generated in the VRAM 202 is transferred to thedisplay unit 201 in accordance with a predetermined rule, andaccordingly, images are displayed on the display unit 201. The BMU (bitmove unit) 203 controls data transfer between memories (e.g., betweenthe VRAM202 and another memory), and data transfer between a memory andan I/O device (e.g., the communication unit 209), for example. The inputdevice 204 includes various keys for inputting characters or the like.The CPU 205 controls devices based on control programs stored in the ROM206 and the external storage device 208. The ROM 206 stores variouscontrol programs and data. Specific operation contents and methods inthis embodiment will be described later. The RAM 207 includes a workarea of the CPU 205, an area for saving data during an error process, anarea for loading a control program, or the like. The external storagedevice 208 stores various control programs to be executed in the controlapparatus and various data. The communication unit 209 is an interfacefor connecting to a network line such as the Internet, and thecommunication unit 209 communicates with the network 101 in anembodiment.

FIG. 3A is a block diagram showing the configuration of the imagecapture device 103 in this embodiment. The image capture device 103includes a device that captures the images of a subject and obtainsimage data, such as a digital camera, a digital video camera, or amonitoring camera, and also includes an optical finder. The imagecapture device 103 is constituted by an image capture unit 301, animage-capture control unit 302, a CPU 303, a RAM 304, a ROM 305, astorage medium 306, a display unit 307, an operation unit 308, and acommunication unit 309. The image capture unit 301 includes a lens, adiaphragm, an image sensor, and a signal processing circuit, andgenerates images. The image-capture control unit 302 controls the imagecapture unit. The CPU 303 controls various calculations and portionsthat constitute the image capture device 103 in accordance with an inputsignal or program. The RAM 304 stores temporary data, and is used for awork area of the CPU 303. The ROM 305 stores a program (firmware) forcontrolling the image capture device 103, various pieces of settinginformation, and the product name and serial number of the image capturedevice 103. The storage medium 306 stores data of captured images or thelike. Note that the storage medium 306 can be detached after images arecaptured, and can be mounted on a personal computer (PC hereinafter) orthe like to read data. The display unit 307 displays view finder imagesat the time of capturing images, captured images, and text forinteractive operations, or the like. Note that the image capture device103 need not include the display unit 307, and the image capture device103 need only have a display control function for controlling thedisplay performed by the display unit 307. The operation unit 308 is foraccepting a user operation. A button, a lever, a touch panel, or thelike can be used as the operation unit 308, for example. Thecommunication unit 309 connects to an external device, and transmits andreceives a control command and data. The communication unit 309 in anembodiment exchange a notification with the network 101. Specifically,the communication unit 309 is an Ethernet interface, or may be a USB(Universal Serial Bus). Also, the communication unit 309 may be awireless communication interface such as a wireless LAN.

Note that the image capture unit 301 is provided with a mirror (notshown). A portion of this mirror is translucent, and an optical imagethat has passed through the translucent portion is supplied to a focussensor (not shown), and AF is realized. Also, in a state in which themirror is moved downward, the optical image that has passed through thelens is reflected by the mirror, and an image combined with an image (animage showing a focus frame or the like) displayed by the display unit307 using a half mirror or the like is guided to the optical finder.Furthermore, in a state in which the mirror is moved upward, an imagethat has passed through the lens is supplied to the image sensor of theimage capture unit 301, and the image sensor performs focusing andcaptures images.

The configuration of the image capture device 103 in an embodiment hasbeen described above. Although the auxiliary camera 104 has a structurethat is substantially the same as that of the image capture device 103,the auxiliary camera 104 need only have a function for shooting a seriesof images in the optical finder of the image capture device 103,communicating with the control apparatus 102, and transmitting theseries of images thereto.

FIG. 3B is a block configuration diagram of the pan head 105 in anembodiment. Note that, although the pan head 105 has a mechanicalconfiguration for holding the image capture device 103 and the auxiliarycamera 104, FIG. 3B shows an electrical configuration. The pan head 105includes a pan driving unit 351, a tilt driving unit 352, a zoom drivingunit 353, a RAM 354, a CPU 355, a ROM 356, and a communication unit 357.The communication unit 357 exchanges a notification with the network101. The CPU 355 executes a program stored in the ROM 356, using the RAM354 as a work area. Also, in response to a request received from thecontrol apparatus 102, the CPU 355 controls the pan driving unit 351,the tilt driving unit 352, and the zoom driving unit 353 via thecommunication unit 357 in accordance with this program, and controls theline of sight and zoom of the image capture device 103. Note that zoommay be controlled on the image capture device 103 side.

FIG. 4 is an external view of the image capture device 103 in anembodiment. Here, an example of a general digital camera is shown. Thedigital camera includes an external monitor 401, an optical finder 402,an operation button 403, or the like. The auxiliary camera 104 is fixedto the pan head 105 together with the image capture device 103 to stablyshoot an image present in the optical finder 402.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are examples of an operation screen displayed on thedisplay unit 201 when a remote control application is started on thecontrol apparatus 102. When this application is started, the controlapparatus 102 transmits various commands set by a user to the imagecapture device 103 that is currently communicating therewith, the panhead 105, or the like, and thus remote operations can be performed. Notethat FIGS. 5A and 5B show the operation screen displayed when thecontrol apparatus 102 transmits a command to instruct one specific imagecapture device 103 on the network 101 to perform an AF frame selectionoperation. A configuration may be adopted in which, when receiving theabove-described command, the image capture device 103 displays an AFframe selection screen on the display unit 307.

FIG. 5A shows an example of an AF point setting screen of one specificimage capture device 103 on the network 101 in the control apparatus102. When a user inputs an instruction relating to the settings of AFframes in the control apparatus 102, the CPU 205 transmits, to the imagecapture device 103, a command to transition to the AF point setting. Asa result, the CPU 303 in the image capture device 103 displays, on thedisplay unit 307, the AF point setting screen including AF frames, whichare selection candidates. Note that, even if the image capture device103 does not receive a command to transition to the AF point setting,the image capture device 103 can receive a user operation or the likemade on the device main body, and the CPU 303 can make the display unit307 display the AF point setting screen.

An image 502 is an image captured by the auxiliary camera 104. That is,the image 502 is an image obtained as a result of the auxiliary camera104 capturing an image of the optical finder of the image capture device103 as a live view video. Reference numeral 503 indicates an area AFframe, and reference numeral 504 indicates an AF frame, and these areseen as being superimposed by a half mirror in the optical finder whensetting an AF frame using the UI displayed by the image capture device103. The area AF frame 503 and the AF frames 504 are configured suchthat a predetermined number of AF frames 504 whose positions and sizesare predetermined by an AF method are displayed in the area AF frame 503in a predetermined arrangement. The AF frames 504 are displayed in theoptical finder of the image capture device 103 such that it is possibleto select which point is set as the AF point. FIG. 5A shows a state inwhich nine selectable AF frames 504 are displayed in the area AF frame503. Note that the image 502 is an image just captured by the auxiliarycamera 104, and thus, a user cannot directly select the AF frames 504present in the image. This selection is made through an AF frame settingUI 505, which will be described below.

Reference numeral 505 indicates the AF frame setting UI, and the UIrendered by the control apparatus when setting the AF frames. In thedrawing, the AF frame setting UI505 includes an area AF frame 506, andnine AF frames that include an AF frame 507. Information regarding therendering of the AF frame setting UI 505 is prestored in the externalstorage device 208, and the CPU 205 performs rendering based on theinformation. Note that not all of the image capture devices 103 are ofthe same model, and not all of the auxiliary cameras 104 are of the samemodel. In view of this, it is presumed that specification informationfor each model of the image capture device (information relating to thenumber and arrangement of AF frames, or the like) is stored in theexternal storage device 208. Also, when the control apparatus 102 startscommunication with the image capture device 103 or the auxiliary camera104, the control apparatus 102 requests information for specifying themodels thereof, acquires the corresponding information from the externalstorage device 208 based on the information received due to the request,and performs a process relating to the AF point setting.

Now, suppose that a user designates an AF frame 509 in the AF framesetting UI 505 using a cursor 508 that moves together with a pointingdevice (not shown), for example. In this case, the CPU 205 highlightsthe AF frame 509 (renders the frame with a bold line in the drawing) tonotify a user that the AF frame 509 is selected, for example. Then, theCPU 205 generates a command to select the AF point including informationfor specifying the AF frame 509, and transmits the command to the imagecapture device 103. Note that, although an example in which the cursor508 is used to select a target AF frame is described here, anydesignated icon that moves together with the pointing device can beused, and there is no limitation on the shape and type thereof.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 5B, the CPU 303 in the image capturedevice 103 highlights that the corresponding AF frame 510 has beenselected. The auxiliary camera 104 captures an image thereof, andtransmits the image to the control apparatus 102. Also, the CPU 303performs an AF process with the AF frame 510 used as the AF pointhereinafter.

Next, an AF frame setting process, which is a portion of the remotecontrol application executed by the CPU 205 of the control apparatus 102in an embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowchartof FIG. 7. Note that it is presumed that a program relating to thisapplication is stored in the ROM 206. However, a program may beprestored in the external storage device 208, and the CPU 205 may loadthe program into the RAM 207 and execute the program.

In step S701, the CPU 205 acquires information regarding the model fromthe image capture device 103 that is currently communicating therewith,and acquires corresponding specification information from the externalstorage device 208 based on the acquired information. Then, the CPU 205displays, on the display unit 201, the AF frame setting UI screen 505(including the area AF frame 506 and the AF frames) based on informationregarding the number and arrangement of AF frames in the acquiredspecification information.

Then, in step S702, the CPU 205 starts a process for receiving imagesfrom the auxiliary camera 104 via the communication unit 209, and startsto display the received images as the image 502.

Then, in step S703, the CPU 205 waits until the user selects one AFframe in the area AF frame 506. When the CPU 205 detects that selectionwas made, in step S704, the CPU 205 generates a command to select the AFpoint including information for specifying the selected AF frame, andtransmits the command to the image capture device 103 that is currentlycommunicating therewith.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the image in theoptical finder of the image capture device 103 captured by the auxiliarycamera is displayed, and the AF frame setting UI 505 imitating the AFframe setting screen displayed in the optical finder of the imagecapture device 103 is displayed. As a result, the user can remotelydesignate which portion of a subject (present in the images captured bythe auxiliary camera) seen through the optical finder of the imagecapture device 103 is to be aligned with the AF frame. Note that, whenthe control apparatus 102 ends the AF setting operation, the AF framesetting screen or the like are not displayed. In this case, theauxiliary camera 104 captures images of a subject through the opticalfinder of the image capture device 103. That is, the auxiliary camera104 captures images of a subject with the zoom magnification and AFprocess adjusted by the image capture device 103.

In the case of FIGS. 5A and 5B, the area AF frame 503 in the image 502captured by the auxiliary camera 104 and the area AF frame 506 in the AFframe setting UI 505 are displayed side-by-side horizontally, and the AFframes included therein are displayed in a one-to-one relationship, andthus the user can know that the AF frame is normally set in the imagecapture device 103 because the AF frame 510 corresponding to the AFframe 509 designated by the user is highlighted.

Note that the control apparatus 102 displays the captured imagesacquired from the auxiliary camera 104 on the left side of the screen,and displays the generated area AF frame 506 on the right side of thescreen. That is, the user performs an operation for selecting an AFframe in the area AF frame 506 located on the right side of the screenwhile checking a subject present in images transmitted from theauxiliary camera 104 located on the left side of the screen, and thusthe user needs to move the line of sight horizontally.

In view of this, as shown in FIG. 6A, when the user selects an imagecapture button 601 using the cursor that moves together with thepointing device, the CPU 205 may cut out images present in the area AFframe 503 from the images acquired from the auxiliary camera 104, anddisplay the cutout images superimposed on the area AF frame 506 locatedon the right side. In this case, the user can perform an operation fordesignating an AF frame while checking a subject simply by looking atthe area AF frame 506.

Also, as shown in FIG. 6B, a reduced version 506′ of the area AF frame506 is generated, and the reduced version is combined with the imageacquired from the auxiliary camera 104 and is displayed at a position ofthe image where the reduced version and the area AF frame 503 do notoverlap each other, that is, PinP (Picture in Picture) is displayed. Inthis case, the user can also reduce the amount of movement of the lineof sight, compared to FIGS. 5A and 5B.

Also, the area AF frame 506 in the AF frame setting UI 505 is displayedintimating the area AF frame 503 in the images captured by the auxiliarycamera 104. Therefore, it is desired that, as shown in FIG. 5(A), thearea AF frames 503 and 506 have the same size, and are displayed at thesame height (at the same position in the vertical direction) on thescreen. In this case, it will be preferable to perform the followingprocesses immediately before step S701 shown in FIG. 7.

First, the CPU 205 is configured to acquire information for specifyingthe model of a device when the CPU 205 communicates with the imagecapture device 103 and the auxiliary camera 104, such as the devicename. The CPU 205 then specifies and acquires specification informationregarding the corresponding image capture device 103 and auxiliarycamera 104 in the external storage device 208, using the acquiredinformation as a key. The acquired information need only be informationserving as an index for determining the size and position of the area AFframe 506 to be generated, such as the sizes in the horizontal andvertical directions indicating a region, which serves as an index forthe optical finder of the image capture device 103, and the resolutionof the images captured by the auxiliary camera 104 (the number of pixelsin the horizontal and vertical directions), for example. Then, the CPU205 detects the region of the optical finder present in the images fromthe auxiliary camera 104, and determines the position and size of thearea AF frame 503. The CPU 205 generates the AF frame setting UI 505that includes the area AF frame 506 having the same size and shape asthe area AF frame 503 based on these pieces of information.

In step S701 shown in FIG. 7, the CPU 205 need only display the AF frameUI 505 generated in the above-described manner at a right position ofthe screen corresponding to the detected AF frame 503. The subsequentprocess will not need to be described.

As a result of the above, when viewed from the user, the area AF frame503 and the area AF frame 505 having the same size as the area AF frame503 present in the images captured by the auxiliary camera 104 aredisplayed side-by-side, and thus the user can easily recognize that theAF frames therein correspond to each other, and it is possible toprovide an environment with good operability.

Second Embodiment

In a second embodiment, the area AF frame 506 is displayed on imagescaptured by the auxiliary camera 104 in a superimposing manner. Anexample will be described as the second embodiment in which a user canthen directly designate an AF frame as if the AF frame was present onthe images captured by the auxiliary camera 104.

The point to be considered here is that, when the image capture device103 and the auxiliary camera 104 are fixed to the pan head 105, theauxiliary camera 104 may be fixed thereto at a position shifting from atarget position. Alternatively, although the image capture device 103and the auxiliary camera 104 are initially correctly fixed to the panhead 105, the positions of the image capture device 103 and theauxiliary camera 104 on the pan head 105 may shift from the originalpositions due to some kind of external force being applied thereafter.In such a situation, if the area AF frame 506 generated by the CPU 205is displayed on the images captured by the auxiliary camera 104 in asuperimposing manner, the area AF frame 503 and the area AF frame 506are displayed at positions shifting therefrom. That is, an AF framegroup in the area AF frame 503 and an AF frame group in the area AFframe 506 are displayed in a shifted state, resulting in user confusion.Therefore, in the second embodiment, an example will be described inwhich, even if the position of the auxiliary camera 104 relative to theposition of the image capture device 103 shifts from the originalposition, the shifting is cancelled, and the area AF frame 503 and theAF frame group thereof are accurately matched to the area AF frame 506and the AF frame group thereof, and they are displayed in asuperimposing manner.

Thus, it is presumed that specification information for each model ofthe auxiliary cameras 104 (such as the number of pixels in the verticaland horizontal directions of the captured image) is also stored in theexternal storage device 208 in the second embodiment. The configurationsof the control apparatus 102 and the image capture device 103 are thesame as those in the first embodiment. Hereinafter, an AF frame settingprocess, which is a portion of the remote control application to beexecuted by the CPU 205 of the control apparatus 102 in the secondembodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 9.Note that it is presumed that, prior to this process, the CPU 205 hasalready acquired information for specifying the models of the imagecapture device 103 and the auxiliary camera 104 that are currentlycommunicating therewith, from the image capture device 103 and theauxiliary camera 104.

First, in step S901, the CPU 205 acquires information regarding theauxiliary camera 104 from the external storage device 208 based on themodel information. The acquired information includes the resolution ofimages captured by the auxiliary camera 104 (the number of pixels in thehorizontal and vertical directions), a finder region of the imagecapture device 103 in the image 502 (the number of pixels in thevertical and horizontal directions), or the like. The finder region ofthe image capture device 103 may be acquired through image analysis ofimages displayed in a dividing grid on the finder of the image capturedevice 103, for example. FIG. 8 shows an example of the image screen 502displayed in a dividing grid on the finder of the image capture device103.

Then, in step S902, the CPU 205 acquires, from the external storagedevice 208, the finder region of the image capture device 103 and AFframe information (the positions and sizes of the area AF frame 503 andthe AF frame 504).

Then, in step S903, based on differences in the position and sizebetween the finder region of the image capture device 103 and the finderregion of the image capture device 103 present in the image screen 502of the auxiliary camera 104, the CPU 205 calculates a difference (theshift amount) between the finder regions, and generates an area AF frame506 having the same shape and the same size as the area AF frame 503 inthe images of the auxiliary camera 104.

Then, in step S904, the CPU 205 starts to receive the images from theauxiliary camera 104 and display the received images. Also, in stepS905, the CPU 205 displays the generated area AF frame 506 to overlapthe area AF frame 503 while the auxiliary camera 104 is capturing theimages. As a result, the area AF frame 503, and all the AF frames in thearea AF frame 506 overlap each other.

Note that because the area AF frame 506 having the same shape and thesame size as the area AF frame 503 to be displayed in images aregenerated according to the images from the auxiliary camera 104 in thesecond embodiment, the area AF frame 503 may not be displayed on theimage capture device 103.

In the next step S906, the CPU 205 waits until the user selects one AFframe in the area AF frame 506. When the CPU 205 detects that selectionwas made, the CPU 205 proceeds to step S907, generates a command toselect the AF point including information for specifying the selected AFframe, and transmits the command to the image capture device 103 that iscurrently communicating therewith.

As a result of the above, according to the second embodiment, it ispossible to present a user with an operation environment equivalent toas if the user directly selected an AF frame of the image capture devicevia the images captured by the auxiliary camera 104.

While aspects of the disclosure are described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the aspects of thedisclosure are not limited to the exemplary embodiments. The scope ofthe following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so asto encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No.2020-025400, filed Feb. 18, 2020, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

What is claimed is:
 1. A control apparatus comprising: a communicationinterface that communicates with a camera system including a main cameraand a sub camera, where the main camera has an optical finder in which aplurality of AF frames are superimposed on a scene and the sub cameracaptures an image displayed in the optical finder of the main camera; areceiving unit that receives, from the camera system via thecommunication interface, an image captured by the sub camera of thecamera system, where the received image includes the plurality of AFframes; a display unit that displays the received image and a UI (userinterface) for selecting at least one AF frame from the plurality of AFframes which are superimposed on the scene within the optical finder ofthe main camera; and a transmitting unit that transmits, to the camerasystem via the communication interface, information for specifying theat least one AF frame selected via the UI so that the main camera of thecamera system selects corresponding at least one AF frame among theplurality of AF frames; wherein the receiving unit, display unit, andthe transmitting unit are implemented by a the one or more processor. 2.The control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: acomputer memory that stores information relating to the AF frames to besuperimposed on the scene within the optical finder of the main cameraof the camera system; and a control unit that generates the UI based oninformation relating to the AF frames, wherein the control unit isimplemented by a one or more processor.
 3. The control apparatusaccording to claim 2, wherein the control unit requests, to the camerasystem, information for specifying the model of the main camera in acase where the control unit starts communication with the camera system.4. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the informationrelating to the AF frame includes information relating to the number andarrangement of AF frames.
 5. The control apparatus according to claim 4,wherein the control unit is configured to generate the UI incorrespondence with the number and arrangement of AF frames displayedwith the captured image.
 6. The control apparatus according to claim 1,further comprising: a pointing device, wherein the display unit isconfigured to display an icon that moves on the UI in response to anoperation of the pointing device.
 7. The control apparatus according toclaim 6, wherein the display unit is configured to display the AF frameselected by the icon in a bold frame.
 8. The control apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein the display unit is configured to display the imagecaptured by the sub camera and the UI side-by-side.
 9. The controlapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is configuredto display the image captured by the sub camera and the UI in asuperimposing manner.
 10. The control apparatus according to claim 1,further comprising: a computer memory storing holding data that holdsinformation indicating a region, which serves as indexes representing anoptical range in the optical finder of the main camera of the camerasystem, a control unit configured to generate the UI having theplurality of AF frames whose position and size are the same as those ofthe AF frames in the displayed image captured by the sub camera, basedon a difference between the region that serves as the indexes held inthe holding unit and a region of the indexes in the displayed imagecaptured by the sub camera, wherein the control unit is implemented by aone or more processor.
 11. A method of controlling a control apparatusincluding a communication interface that communicates with a camerasystem including a main camera and a sub camera, where the main camerahas an optical finder in which a plurality of AF frames are superimposedon a scene and the sub camera captures an image displayed in the opticalfinder of the main camera, the method comprising: receiving, from thecamera system via the communication interface, an image captured by thesub camera of the camera system, where the received image includes theplurality of AF frames; displaying the received image and a UI (userinterface) for selecting at least one AF frame from the plurality of AFframes which are superimposed on the scene within the optical finder ofthe main camera; and transmitting, to the camera system via thecommunication interface, information for specifying the at least one AFframe selected via the UI so that the main camera of the camera systemselects corresponding at least one AF frame among the plurality of AFframes.
 12. A non-transitory storage medium that stores a programcausing a computer to execute the steps of a method of controlling acontrol apparatus including a communication interface that communicateswith a camera system including a main camera and a sub camera, where themain camera has an optical finder in which a plurality of AF frames aresuperimposed on a scene and the sub camera captures an image displayedin the optical finder of the main camera, the method comprising:receiving, from the camera system via the communication interface, animage captured obtained by the sub camera of the camera system, wherethe received image includes the plurality of AF frames; displaying thereceived image and a UI (user interface) for selecting at least one AFframe from the plurality of AF frames which are superimposed on thescene within the the optical finder of the main camera; andtransmitting, to the camera system via the communication interface,information for specifying the at least one AF frame selected via the UIso that the main camera of the camera system selects corresponding atleast one AF frame among the plurality of AF frames.